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Isotonik Octop4d Review

Isotonik Octop4d - M4ster 1.1.3 from Darren E Cowley on Vimeo.

Isotonik Launchpad - Octop4d 1.0.8 from Darren E Cowley on Vimeo.

http://thestudiosessions.co.uk/

I’ve recently had some time to test out a really exciting Max for Live Patch from Isotonik called OctoP4d. What is particularly exciting about this patch is that instead of just adding some monome-like buffer shuffler functionality to the launchpad or apc40 that we’ve seen before; this patch turns the launchpad into a useful and functional tool for ableton live.  Obviously, I’ve had some frustrations with the launchpad’s inexplicable limitations in customizability. Yes, the midi options on user1 and user2 are useful, but the fact that they don’t offer any access to the LED’s has always baffled me. I bought the launchpad because I hoped that it would provide a controller that I could design an matrix of effects and controls, and the Octop4d is the first patch I’ve tested that actually makes worthwhile progress toward that goal. 

I was going to give a rundown of all the functions of the Octop4d, but instead, I think the creator does a really good job of running down all the options. 

So, I’ll just skip right to the highlights for me. Basically the Shuffl3r setting is a buffer shuffler mode that can also reverse and skip notes as well as just beat repeat through the sample in the buffer.  If the shuffler makes you happy, you’ll freak (ok, I freaked) on the Eff3cts mode. This one is really the big reason I’m so stoked on this patch. The LED feedback and combinations of effects in this patch is really well implemented to be fun to play with tons of effects combinations to jam out on in real time. The other highlight for me is the Util1ty mode. This one is something I have no idea why ableton and novation didn’t think to include in both the apc40 and the launchpad. Its not exactly an intuitive control because of the pads can’t be labeled, but this is one that will keep your hands completely off the keyboard and mouse.

The other highlight of this patch that I was really disappointed that the momome type emulations patches for the launchpad was missing was the fact that all of the patches that are included by default in the lanchpad are preserved. which means you can still switch back to session mode to quickly launch a new clip and get right back to jamming out effects. 

The other functions of this patch include the ability to loop in ableton clips (a funtionality glaringly absent from the software and completely necessary for people djing in ableton).  The drum sequencer mode is also really dope, but not really something we haven’t seen before, its just a good addition to the complete package this patch offers. 

And now, the downside: I’m not really sure that this is a downside for the whole patch, but more built in limitations of the way that buffer shuffler works. Basically, in my live set with tons of tracks loaded in and any buffer shuffler patch on the master, I get cpu spikes occasionally that cause the beat of the set to jump as the program samples to buffer. The buffer shuffler is not really a problem when running smaller clips and less of them, but with the 4 gigs of ram I have running, this is not really suitable to live performance the way I have my live set right now. Another small limitation is the mouse movements in the Util1ty are clunky, but with the directional arrows that are built in, I don’t really find much need for the mouse movements. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who will read the manual and/or advanced ableton users who are familiar with the limitations I talked about above. I have integrated this into a single channel in my ableton set and have been using it to manipulate samples and acapella clips and I’ve found it well suited to that. I will have to report back when I upgrade my ram and computer for a more final decision. I would definitely like to see more work on this one, this has the potential to really change the way people use the launchpad and apc40.